Wells Fargo Teller Explains The Ways Of The Desert To Customer
A misinformed bank teller at a Wells Fargo in Arizona was determined to explain how desert life worked to a woman who just wanted to buy some GPB (pounds sterling, aka British money).
My mother visited the Gilbert & Guadalupe branch of Wells Fargo the other day, having heard that this particular branch might carry pounds sterling. Having purchased euros the year before at a WF in Tempe (two cities over), she knew she had a backup if this branch didn't work out.
When she asked if they sold GBP at the branch, the smug, 20-something teller informed her that they do not. He further said that not a single branch in Arizona sells foreign currency. When she politely explained that she had purchased euros the year before just 10 miles down the street, he shook his head brusquely and explained to her: "This is the desert, ma'am. We don't have any euros or GBP here."
About this time, a nice, soft-spoken female teller quietly mentioned that he might be wrong, to which he insisted that, while in the desert, we would simply have no need for euros. You see, for this is the desert, the implication rang quietly, and thus we are an entire ocean away from requiring such currency! At about this time, she connected through to the Tempe branch who informed her that, of course they had euros & GBP available and that the currency desk was open until 4:30pm.
The smug teller did make a matter of apologizing for giving "seriously wrong information," because this is the desert, and we own up to our mistakes here.
We want to extend a desert congratulations—probably a potted cactus or a pueblo-shaped cake—to the good teller who was determined to help Chris's mother no matter what Mr. Know-It-All said.
(Photo: JeffChristiansen)
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Be careful Wells Fargo Teller. Those customers scare easily, but they'll be back, and in greater numbers.
Plus they ride single file, to hide their numbers.
Dear Wells Fargo teller, Your xenophobia and egocentricity are showing. And they're unbecoming.
Republic Credits? This is the desert. Republic Credits are no good out here. People need something real.
See, this is what happens when indie record stores and video rental shops go out of business, the clerks are forced to find employment in places like banks.
Smug WF Teller: Do brains shrivel up in the desert too? Just curious.
Business as usual in the Valley of the Sun. I live in this god forsaken place and nothing surprises me. Phoenix is the home of bloated white pick-up trucks piloted by mouth breathing hordes. Methamphetamine addiction, road rage and domestic abuse is rampant.
Consider the fact that these parts were settled by folks too dumb, uninspired or lazy to make it the rest of the way to the land of milk and honey during the last depression.
If you are passing through, please do us a favor, round us up from the parking lot and bring us inside. Some folks get stuck out in the heat, staring at the sun.
@spudaroo: Phoenix is great, but you have to stop living in the dilapidated cookie cutter suburbs like Mesa and Glendale to escape the afflictions you are talking about.
BTW, almost all major foreign currencies are available at the WF or BofA in downtown Phoenix. You will know you are in the right place at the WF when it looks like the guys from "Heat" are going to drop in and rob the bank.
The smug teller wasn't George W. Bush, was it? He was always telling anyone who would listen that he grew up in the desert:
"I didn't grow up in the ocean -- as a matter of fact -- near the ocean -- I grew up in the desert. Therefore, it was a pleasant contrast to see the ocean. And I particularly like it when I'm fishing." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 26, 2008
First rule of the desert:
"Everything, be it animal, vegitable, or mineral, is actively trying to kill you"
Hell, just taking a walk during the wrong time of the year can be a fatal mistake
@vastrightwing: Sad, but true. Generally speaking, depositor banks are almost universally held NOT liable in the case of counterfeit checks - the depositor (ie - you) is responsible. This is true even when there is "a bank whose employee inadvertently in some remark misleads a customer as to the precise likelihood that an item will clear"
The only way to be safe is to ask them if they have reached final settlement with the payor bank for that instrument. It's important to use the correct terminology because they're still not liable even if they tell you "the check has cleared", because "the term 'cleared' is not employed in the UCC and, as commonly used, is not the equivalent of 'final settlement.'" [studentorgs.law.unc.edu]
It's not easy to find a bank in the desert southwest that can do foreign currency exchange. I'm on the border and my local Chase can't even change pesos. It's better to go to a 'cambio' (foreign exchange) or manifesto store - they are everywhere in the southwest & cater mainly to Latino clientele. I've been able to cash GPB but am not sure how much they would carry in stock.
I bought a new van this year, financed it with Wachovia... was so excited to be rid of Wells Fargo for my loan needs.
Got a notice 2 months later saying Wells Fargo bought Wachovia. Never even thought about it. Fuck, I hate Wells Fargo.
Well, what did you expect? This is not that place on the map marked by "Here be dragons". This is the desert.
Me master, me run Bartertown! Not shit, energy! No energy, no town! Embargo on!
There are few things as annoying to customers as employees too lazy to ask their superiors for information. Smart person admit ignorance, stupid people pretend to know.
Is the wet-behind-the-ears punk trying to prove he's higher up than he really is? Or is he just too arrogant to admit he doesn't know something?
@CameraShoe_GitEmSteveDave: See those holes in your checking account too accurate for Sandpeople only Nigerian Scammers are that precise.
@redskull: It's ok, he can't hurt you anymore...
And you just keep GWB quotes laying around to post them in a blog comment section that has absolutely nothing to do with politics?
*Loser!*
It's nice to see that they are continuing in the fine tradition of hiring from the shallow end of the gene pool. I hope she got a good look at the guy, because he'll probably be their CEO in another 10 years.
@Galactica: The subject seems to be in part ignorant statements, which George Bush qualifies for in spades politics or no.
It does not help your case that Bush grew up as a privileged Ivy League child in New England, which is, as it turns out, quite close to an ocean.
Customer: Credits will do fine.
WellsFargo: No, they won't. What? You think you're some kind of Consumerist, waving your hand around like that? I'm a banker. Mind tricks don't work on me. Only money. No money, no parts, no deal!
When I ditched Verizon almost two years ago for Alltel I was sooooooooooooooooooooooo happy to be rid of Verizon. Then Verizon bought Alltel...
@JGBrock: Normally, the minerals aren't trying to kill you. Neither are most of the birds. Everything else is though, especially the plants.
I grew up in, and still live, in Tucson, AZ. I am shocked, SHOCKED to see people walking through plants without a care when I go hiking elsewhere. Not out of any love for the plants, mind you, but out of love for not bleeding.
You don't have Euros or GBP? But I need to go to Toshi Station to buy power converters! They don't take USD.
Interesting... I'm a long time Wells Fargo customer and purchased GBP through them before a trip about five years ago.
A little training may be in in order.
@brokejumper: Also amusing was his Texas twang...which was clearly manufactured, since his siblings had nothing like it...
Full disclosure: I was born in the same hospital as Dubya. Unfortunate.
2003. I had a check written to me for 80 Euro. I went to WAMU, they were my bank, they laughed and said they don't do foreign currency transactions. A friend of mine had Wells Fargo, I signed the check over to him and we went in together to see if they'd cash it for him. The teller wanted to know where we got the check. I said Spain. She said, yes but where? I said...Europe? She said, "Is that what Euros are for?" I walked out with $80 and a hole in my heart.
@Bluth_Cornballer: I'm guessing he used to work at a used bookstore where he read the entire Dune series too many times.
I always thought they used sand dollars in the desert. Now I know why.
I'm totally digging the Tuscan Raider picture!
I count those more as accessories. As in, the rock your face is pressed against as you lay dying out in the desert? a mineral. The thing picking at your flesh two hours later? Bird.
I lived in Phoenix for a while and, coming from the midwest, it is something to get used to.
Among my favorites:
the frequent discovery of corpses in parked cars at roadside parks.
the firemen collecting money in boots at intersections..to help poor people put fences around their pools.
exploding windshields
cars stalking parking places at the mall...not closest to the door, but the ones with shade.
Ha! That is a mile from my house! Thankfully most people aren't like this. Also: Bank with Arizona Federal, Credit Unions rule (although they probably can't do currency exchange)
@azntg: Have you spent much time out there? I swear to god I can feel my brain boiling inside my skull in the middle of the day in Yuma.
I used to be a store manager for Wells Fargo in Phoenix and in Tucson. Used to be is the key thing to keep in mind. I left that institution after realizing that ethics were secondary to inflated sales numbers. I know, ethics in a bank?? How dare I expect such things??
Anyway, to set the record straight, there are a handful of specially designated branches that do carry common foreign currencies, such as pounds, euros and pesos. Those branches are most often located in areas of town heavily frequented by more affluent customers, business travelers and students. If you're in the Valley of the Sun, Scottsdale and Tempe are your best bets, but my advice is to call either the branch directly or the customer service line to see where the closest RFX branch is.
As for the teller, I think he is a symptom of deeper issues within Wells Fargo. Their retail banking system is one that values and promotes sales numbers, not investing their payroll into dedicated, ethical and long-term employees. In my 8 years with the company, I saw those who lied and cheated customers be rewarded with company trips and quick promotions to leadership positions. Those who had 25+ years with the company with numerous personal connections, loyal customers and a track record of intelligent, competent internal and external service were left in the branches to whither and while away their time until they could leave and begin collecting their retirement. Meanwhile, these new, young, inexperienced people are molded and rewarded for their cheating. Their heads can grow large and they feel that they know everything because they sold the most credit cards last month.
I feel your pain out there, fellow WF customers. My advice is to just let the teller process the transaction you came in for originally. If you have questions that could be considered "outside the box" (as in foreign currency questions, etc.), ask to speak to a banker or preferably, a manager. Even many managers out there are inexperienced, sales bots. If you're still not happy, go up the chain. As high as you need to go.
This reminds me of the time a Best Buy employee argued with me about whether or not my house-hold had a wireless network. There's no wires. I hook up to the internet wirelessly.
Uhg. Sometimes you just want to smack the stupid out of people.
@katstermonster: That may or may not be true.. I have a great aunt that sounds like she's from Georgia (Actually she sounds JUST like Paula Deen if you know of her.) but she has never even been to Georgia.. and none of her siblings sound like that.
We don't really know where she got that accent.. but it sure is cute on her.
But you definitely need pesos in the desert, that's for sure.
I had two Bahamas dollars left over from our honeymoon a while back, and since they happened to be in my wallet when I was at the bank one day, I asked if they might be able to change them for me? I thought that the probably wouldn't, and sure enough, the apologetic teller explained that they had a minimum amount, plus percentage fee, or maybe even that they didn't exchange that currency? I don't recall correctly. But then (and this is awesome) the next guy in line said "hey, I'll buy those off you, I like to collect different money, and it's only two bucks!" Or something to that effect. The teller said she'd look sideways while we performed our questionably legal transaction in the bank! :P
Amusing for sure. Not so amusing is when over 5 bank employees can not explain how checks clear when specifically asked about depositing a postal money order. Bad information caused my family to loose $1500 because they all insisted that the funds were "cleared" after 5 business days. After I asked if the deposit could be reversed if the checks were fake, all of them told me no. Lesson: do not trust any information from bank employees. They know a lot less than Nigerian nationals do.